What do the Colosseum, the British Houses of Parliament and the Sydney Opera House all have in common? Each of these iconic structures served as the dramatic backdrop for an equally dramatic message: End Polio Now.

This week, in celebration of Rotary's founding on February 23, 1905, Rotary clubs from around the world arranged for key landmarks on several continents to be illuminated with the "End Polio Now" logo. The illuminations are meant to raise public awareness of the disease, which still threatens children in parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Cases worldwide have been reduced 99 percent thanks to Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Rotary clubs have planned a variety of other polio eradication awareness and fundraising activities surrounding Feb. 23.

A few examples:

In Scotland, several historic buildings, including Culzean Castle, are being briefly illuminated with the "End Polio Now" message on consecutive nights.

Purple Pinkie Weekbegins Feb. 23 in the United Kingdom. Rotary members will solicit donations in exchange for a spot of purple dye on each donor's pinkie finger. That's how Rotary volunteers and health workers in developing countries record that a child has received the oral polio vaccine.

Rotary clubs working with the Singapore postal service have arranged for the release of official postage stamps carrying the polio eradication theme and other Rotary messages.

A team of 12 South Korean Rotary members, accompanied by Korean journalists, will travel to India the week of Feb. 23 to help immunize thousands of children.

Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $800 million and countless volunteer hours to the effort and are now eagerly working to raise the $200 million in response to $355 million in challenge grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The money is needed to help close a funding gap that could undermine two decades of progress.

To learn more about polio eradication, including how to participate in this historic effort, visit www.rotary.org/endpolio today.